The gift of love is a universal language

On a mission

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By Connie Duvall

Moberly Monitor-Index - Moberly, MO

By Connie Duvall

Posted Jan. 31, 2013 at 1:00 PM

By Connie Duvall
Posted Jan. 31, 2013 at 1:00 PM

Moberly, Mo.

Do you know what $160 dollars will buy? Samantha Gowin knows. She was looking forward to a new pair of Speery Top'Siders. Fashion is fun and when your friends are wearing the latest, sometimes you have to save up for that special something. Birthday money and Christmas money could make her wish come true. Samantha had a change of heart. Her money is going for a greater good. She is buying a gas pedal, brake, or a bright yellow seat for a commercial riding mower being shipped to help out an orphanage in Venezuela. Her focus changed from herself to the needs of twenty-seven orphans living at Samuel's House located outside Miranda, Venezuela. These children were abandoned or orphaned, and were either living in ditches or on the streets of Caracas. They each have sponsors providing $33 a month.

Who is running the orphanage? Missionaries Gary and Patricia Heiney, originally from Northern Missouri. For over 18 years they have been serving as missionaries and for the past eight years the couple has devoted their lives to helping the orphaned children of Venezuela. The children each have sponsors providing $33 a month to help with clothing, food, school uniforms, shoes and care needs.

Samantha, the daughter of Michael and Karla Gowin of Moberly, was among the group of adults from Moberly First Assembly of God and North Park Baptist, that met Saturday night at the home of John and Velvet Sommer, to discuss an upcoming mission trip. In February, eight local adults will be heading to Samuel's House in Venezuela. The team members are: Pastor Kevin Gustafson, Robin Rains, Velvet Sommer, Karla Gowin, Susan Anno, Jennipher Burris, Shawn Burris, and Lynn Smith.

For the past four years, church members from Moberly First Assembly, North Park Baptist, Huntsville Missionary Baptist, Centralia Crossroads Cathedral, and Columbia First Assembly, have chosen to travel to Samuel's House with supplies for the orphanage and the children that call Samuel's House home.

Teams consisting of 7 up to 24 members, have packed suitcases filled with much needed personal items. Each person goes with the commitment to work and teach skills while they are there. Last year during the Samuel's House mission trip in 110-degree weather, Master Gardener Randy Lee, John Sommer, and Pastor Kevin Gustafson, planted a garden to provide food for the children and workers. Robin Rains, Lynn Smith and Jennipher Burris helped with painting the school, the multi purpose building and a home located on the grounds. Pastor Kevin and Shawn Burris concentrated on mixing (by hand) and pouring concrete for dormitory floors. Susan Anno helped with sewing book bags and school uniform shorts. Velvet Sommer helped with power washing floors and applying sealant to the floors once dry. Frank Green and his work crew of Karla Gowin, Randy Lee, Susan Anno, and John and Velvet Sommer, helped with the plumbing and drop ceiling work project. In 2010, the team helped plant trees in the orchard and laid crabgrass in the common yard. Each year the teams have done outreach through VBS through the schools or with the children of Samuel's House.

Page 2 of 2 - During the team's trips they have learned to be flexible due to the lack of electricity sometimes. There are large poisonous spiders, and huge flesh eating ants, large enough to carry off a freshly grown radish from the garden!

They have learned the orphans have seen the worst of humanity, yet have the ability to show and give love. Language is a barrier (the children speak Spanish), but with love, broken English and broken Spanish, there is communication.

Samuel's House is not funded through Venzeuela's government. It is supported through donations. One hundred percent of the monies donated to sponsor the children at

Samuel's House goes directly to their education, housing and needs, and is supplemented by selling garden vegetables, fruits, row crops, hogs, and chickens.

A welding fire in November burnt the barn at Samuel's House and damaged their tools and farm equipment. Raising and selling their garden vegetables of tomatoes, corn, beans, watermelon, tropical fruits, lettuce, eggplant, okra, green beans, peppers, radishes, sugar cane, and crops is vital as there is a shortage of staples in Venezuela.

Local church members got busy and started seeking donations. The group going to Samuel's House in February is excited about what could be called the "icing on the cake" – a riding lawn mower! Sydenstricker helped with providing a commercial grade lawnmower that was purchased through funds collected locally through a church. The tropical vegetation is beautiful, but when it rains, the grass grows abundantly. The mower is seen as a necessity. A commercial grade tiller was also purchased by two families to assist with farming and gardening needs. Quality tools have been purchased locally and are being shipped to Venezuela.

Some may ask, "What's in it for the volunteers going on the mission trip?" Echoing from around the room with smiles on their faces, "After working all day, it is getting to see the kids and interacting with the children that makes it all worth it!"